Resume Guidance

Before creating or updating a resume, you will need gather some information on dates of employment, addresses of employers, current references, and a working list of all your recent achievements for reference material. It is important to make sure you have someone review your resume to get feedback on grammar, presentation, and overall effectiveness.

Creating a resume can include multiple revisions and should be in a continuous state of evolution. Throughout your job-search efforts, you may generate many different versions depending on the specific job to which you are applying. It' s important to tailor your resume to fit the specific job you are applying for. For example, if a job description is requesting some key qualifications and you meet those qualifications, be sure that it stands out on your resume.

Resume Types

Different types of resumes include chronological, functional, combination, and targeted. Each one of these may be used based on the situation and/or your experience.

Chronolgical: provides work experience in order of most recent job to your earliest. This is one of the most common and useful if you have a lot of work experience which is aligned with the occupation you are seeking. Download Example

Functional: this type of resume highlights your skills and experience without focusing on dates. You can use this type of resume if you recently graduated, are transitioning, or have gaps in your work experience. Download Example

Combination: highlight both your skills and work experience using the combination resume. Include your skills first followed by your work experience beginning with the most recent employer. Download Example

Targeted: a targeted resume is used for situations where you are most qualified. It is a customized resume for a specific job posting where you match you skillset to the requirements listed in the job posting. This type of resume may be a bit more work, but may pay off in showing an employer just how qualified you are for their job.